Raidió Na Gaeltachta: Reviver, Preserver or Swan Song of the Irish Language?

Abstract

Irish is the official first language of Ireland but until the establishment of Raidió na Gaeltachta (RNG) in 1972, state-run televison and radio had broadcast mainly in English. This article traces the development of RNG, the first all-Irish language radio service, and considers its contribution to the preservation and spread of the language. It has carved its own distinctive and highly-regarded niche and helped sustain and revitalize the language. However, cultural dependency may prove the dominant force in the long-run; RNG's audience may dwindle in the face of fierce competition from the majority cultural services. Crucially, younger people seem less interested in speaking Irish and are proving a difficult audience to reach. To avoid long-term extinction, RNG may have to compromise and admit some English use, especially in pop music, a strategy which also threatens the dilution of the language.

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